1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to the field of information handling system housings, and more particularly to an information handling system housing lid with synchronized motion provided by a flexible compressive member.
2. Description of the Related Art
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Portable information handling systems are built in housings having a variety of configurations. A traditional clamshell configuration has a lid rotationally coupled to a main chassis portion so that the lid articulates between open and closed positions. In the open position, the lid rotates approximately 90 degrees to expose a display that presents visual information provided by processing components disposed in the main chassis portion. In the closed position, the lid rotates to bring the display against the main chassis portion to provide portability. Although conventional clamshell configurations provide ease of use and convenience, when the lid is free to rotate the display supported by the lid generally does not offer a firm enough platform for accepting touchscreen inputs. For this and other reasons, portable information handling systems that include a touchscreen display in an articulating lid generally provide rotation to a tablet-type of configuration in which the lid is supported to remain stationary during touch interfaces. For example, one option is to rotate the lid from the closed position for 360 degrees so that the display is exposed like a tablet and resting against the bottom surface of the main chassis portion.
One difficulty with rotation of an information handling system lid for 360 degrees relative to a housing is that the hinge used to perform the rotation has to allow the lid to rest flat relative to both the upper and lower surfaces of the housing. Although a relatively large hinge can include movement of the lid relative to the housing so that flat alignment to an upper and lower surface is provided, end user's generally prefer to have portable information handling systems with a small form factor. One alternative that provides full rotation is the use of a double hinge so that motion is provided at an axis proximate to the lid and an axis proximate the housing. The lid opens to expose the display by rotating about the axis proximate the lid and rotates to an opposite surface of the housing about the axis proximate the housing. In order to coordinate the movement of the lid relative to the housing, one or more cams engage as the lid rotates so that movement occurs about one axis or the other in an unsynchronized and discontinuous fashion, such as two 180 degree movements of the lid relative to the housing.